I have spent great deal of time setting up a sporting clays course on property owned by my mother. Our first public shot is this Monday. 1 neighbor has been a problem. I have told them that I was not throwing targets across the property line or shooting at their buildings which are over 2000 feet away. First they went to the county zoning administrator and said I was building a house without a permit. I am not building any buildings or structures at all. The administrator was given a tour and that ended that problem. Next they went to the county attorney, he told them there were no laws to prevent me from have a sporting clays course and shoots. Last night I found out that the nearest city (population under 200) is having a special meeting today to possibly enact an ordinance prohibiting shooting ranges. They have a 1 mile jurisdiction from the city limits. Well the city cemetery extends to with in about 4500 feet of our property. My question is if they are able to pass an ordinance prohibiting ranges with in 1 mile will I be Grandfathered in?

Don't know what state you are in, but here in Texas they passed a law that if you have over 10 acres and not in a subdivision nobody can stop you from shooting on your land

There is a town north of Dallas that has grow way too fast, and has partially surrounded a ranch owned by the Brinkmann's the BBQ builders, every fall they idiot residents of the town complain when dove season opens, and the city council wants to shut them down so bad, but they can't

Thats a big question with multiple outcomes depending on what the zoning code states that applies to your location.

1. Find out who has zoning jurisdiction of your location, County or city?

2. Find out what zone you are in.

3. Find out if there are any prohibitions for a shooting range in that zone or if it takes a certain zone, variance of use or special exception.

4. Make sure that you shot falls safely on your property.

5. If it turns into an issue with neighbors, you may need to get an expert that can provide testimony as to safe shot fall, decible levels at the boundaries of your property with this activity, if it turns into a battle at the level of a planning commission, board of zoning appeals meeting or court battle.

6. If, and I mean IF THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO ZONING PROHIBITION against your developing a shooting range pursuant to the zoning code covering your location and you have shoots prior to there being an ordinance adopted, you should have non-conforming use rights once it starts. However, if an ordinance prohibiting such a use is adopted by a local government that has jurisdiction over the zoning of your land, you will probably not be able to develop it to any further extent without meeting whatever criteria you have to follow. YOU WOULD BE WELL ADVISED TO CONSULT WITH AN ATTORNEY IN YOUR AREA FAMILAR WITH ZONING REGULATIONS FOR YOUR AREA AND THE HEAD HONCHO OF ANY BUILDING DEPARTMENT/PLAN COMMISSION FOR YOUR AREA, and try to get the statement that it is not prohibited in writing or a copy of the zoning code as it exists now.

Begging for foregiveness rather than asking for permission can be a costly venture sometimes. You better get all of the facts you need to determine what you can or cannot do.

There is more here on how local towns may regulate - http://smartgunlaws.org/local-authority-to-regulate-firearms-in-nebraska/

Worse comes to worst you cold sub-divide your mother's land with a strip of land 900 feet wide between the existing property line and the 'new' line - that would put the land in question over one mile outside of the city.

Trying to handle this problem yourself based on advice from a website is as nutty as trying to handle an appendectomy yourself. Yes, you can save money doing it yourself, but the likelihood of a favorable outcome is quite small.

One bit of advice - get a lawyer skilled in the area of land use (which I am not), not someone with "connections".

I spoke to the mayor and was told they have jurisdiction 1 mile beyond the city limit. I took the mayor for a tour an showed him what I had going on. Sounds like he is on my side but has to play along with the council.

I am a lawyer and a quick look turned up Nebraska bill 1126 which became law in 2012 under which a county can cede jurisdiction to a "class two" city or a village over a 1 mile area beyond its boundaries. So, the mayor may be right but like everybody else, my advice is to hire a good lawyer in the area familiar with land use law.

The mayor is a politician, and thus will try to get everyone involved to think that he is on their side. The trooper probably became a trooper so that she could throw her weight around. However, in this area, a state trooper doesn't have much weight, except perhaps through intimation.

A good lawyer is not going to be duped by a politician's smile or intimidated by a trooper's innuendo. You are not a lawyer, good or otherwise ......